Syringe with disinfecting tip feature

Abstract

Syringe assemblies comprising a disinfecting reservoir collar to ensure an adherence to aseptic techniques for use in flush procedures for vascular access devices (VAD's) are described. Also described are methods of disinfecting the vascular access devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A removable reservoir collar for connecting a syringe barrel to a vascular access device comprising:
 at least one side wall having an inside surface defining a compartment containing a compressible, friction-creating absorbent material including an absorbed disinfectant or an absorbed antimicrobial agent, and a second tip in the compartment and surrounded by the friction-creating absorbent material, the second tip extending distally from a proximal end of the reservoir collar and the second tip adapted for connection to a hub of the vascular access device and for interlocking with a first tip of the syringe barrel having a first passageway therethrough; 
 a sealed distal end having a removable seal; 
 a first plurality of threads on the inside surface of the reservoir collar for connection to the hub of the vascular access device; 
 a second plurality of threads on the proximal end of the reservoir collar adapted for connection to the syringe barrel; and 
 a pierceable seal on the proximal end of the reservoir collar; 
 wherein the second tip has a passageway therethrough which, upon interlocking of the second tip with the first tip of the syringe barrel and connection of the second tip to the hub of the vascular access device, produces one integral passageway for fluid communication from the syringe barrel to the vascular access device. 
 
     
     
       2. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the reservoir collar is threaded onto a distal wall of the syringe barrel. 
     
     
       3. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the disinfectant or the antimicrobial agent is a fluid or a gel. 
     
     
       4. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , further comprising a connection collar adapted for connection to the hub of the vascular access device, wherein the reservoir collar surrounds the connection collar. 
     
     
       5. The reservoir collar of  claim 4 , wherein the connection collar is a Luer connector. 
     
     
       6. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the disinfectant or the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, 2-propanol, butanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, propyl gallate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene, t-butyl-hydroquinone, chloroxylenol, chlorohexidine, dichlorobenzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, hexetidine, triclosan, hydrogen peroxide, colloidal silver, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       7. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the removable seal of the distal end comprises an aluminum or a multi-layer polymer film peel back top. 
     
     
       8. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , further comprising an aluminum lining adhered to the inside surface of the at least one side wall of the reservoir collar. 
     
     
       9. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent material compresses toward the proximal end of the reservoir collar upon connection to the hub of the vascular access device. 
     
     
       10. The reservoir collar of  claim 9 , wherein compression of the absorbent material disinfects the vascular access device. 
     
     
       11. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the pierceable seal on the proximal end of the reservoir collar is pierced by the first tip of the syringe barrel upon connection of the reservoir collar to the syringe barrel. 
     
     
       12. The reservoir collar of  claim 1 , wherein the pierceable seal on the proximal end of the reservoir collar is a pierceable aluminum. 
     
     
       13. A method of disinfecting a vascular access device, the method comprising:
 removing the removable seal from the distal end of the reservoir collar of  claim 1 ; 
 connecting the reservoir collar to the hub of the vascular access device, wherein connecting includes frictionally engaging the reservoir collar with the hub of the vascular access device to compress and create friction with the absorbent material contained in the compartment such that the hub contacts the disinfectant or the antimicrobial agent of the absorbent material. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein connecting further comprises engaging the first plurality of threads on the inside surface of the reservoir collar with the hub of the vascular access device by twisting the vascular access device with respect to the reservoir collar.